


One More Time

by DoctorV



Series: Archive: Doc's Old-Ass Comics Fic (DC, JLU, etc.) [40]
Category: Blue Beetle (Comics), Booster Gold (Comics), DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Justice League, Justice League International (Comic), Kingdom Come (Comics)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Domestic, Established Relationship, Future Character Death, Goodbye Sex, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-29
Updated: 2006-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-06 12:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14056917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorV/pseuds/DoctorV
Summary: Not even retirement can stop Ted from going off to be a big damn hero. No matter how much Michael wishes it would...





	One More Time

**Author's Note:**

> Archiving some old old OLD fanfic of mine. This was originally posted to LiveJournal 03/29/2006, with the author's note:  
> "Originally written 8/24/05. Edited 3/26/06. This is a piece of history, folks. One of the very first Boostle stories I ever wrote, then chickened out about posting. (Can you tell the difference?) Kingdom Come angst. (Note: According to The Kingdom, Booster started going by his given name again when he retired. ...So yeah, not a typo.)"
> 
> Added to Ao3 (but backdated): 04/21/2018

Ted kissed Michael's cheek as he moved to get out of bed. "Have to go save the world," he murmured.

 

Michael rolled over and wrapped his arms around Ted. " _Retired_ ," he grumbled irritably.

 

Smiling affectionately, Ted kissed the man's temple and tried to untangle himself from the blanket and Michael. "Just this one more time," he said. "Making the world safe for future generations."

 

"Screw future generations," Michael muttered, arms tightening around Ted.

 

Ted chuckled. "You _are_ future generations."

 

"Screw _me_ ," Michael insisted, pressing his body against Ted's and mouthing kisses against his shoulder.

 

Ted groaned internally; it took a stronger will than his to pry himself away from an affectionate Michael Carter. "I'll be _late_ ," he protested.

 

"Don't go," Michael pleaded, stroking a hand down Ted's chest.

 

Ted froze, red lights and warning klaxons going off in his head at the desperate note in Michael's voice. "Michael, do you...?" He trailed off with a gasp as Michael's wandering hand closed around him and squeezed. It was difficult enough at the best of times to ask the time-displaced man if he remembered the outcome of events that had yet to happen, much less when he was doing such wonderful things with his hand while licking and sucking determinedly at _that_ spot on his neck, the one that might as well have "Press here to eject brain" tattooed on it.

 

"Please...." Michael whispered against his skin.

 

"Booster!" Ted gasped, arching into his touch as he tried to muster enough brain cells to convince the man (and himself) that he really did have to leave now. His body remained unconvinced, however, and he gave up the battle, wrapping his arms around Michael and holding on tight.

 

* * *

 

"I have to go," Ted murmured reluctantly, hands stroking up and down Michael's back.

 

Head pillowed on Ted's chest, Michael tightened his arms around him and sighed. "I know. Because you're a hero," he said, a faint hint of regret in his voice. "You're a big damn hero."

 

Ted kissed the top of Michael's head and muttered, "You too."

 

"Retired," Michael reminded him, lifting himself up to kiss him.

 

And with his lover and best friend's warm body pressed against him, Ted could almost convince himself that Michael's eyes weren't wet as they roamed over his face (memorizing his features) while one (shaking) hand stroked his cheek. Michael cleared his throat. "Be...be careful, okay?"

 

Ted put a hand over Michael's and turned his head to kiss his palm. "Yeah." He leaned up to kiss the man, then whispered in his ear, "Love you."

 

If Michael's breath hitched at his words, Ted didn't let himself think about it. And if Michael curled up against him almost like he was in pain when he whispered "I love you" back, Ted could distract himself by resolutely going over the Blue Beetle suit's checklist in his head.

 

By the time Ted managed to get up and locate his clothes, Michael had mustered a weak smile for him. "Hey Ted?" his voice stopped him at the door.

 

Ted glanced back, one hand on the doorframe. Michael presented an inviting picture, and it would be far too easy to just slip back into bed with him and tell the world he was retired, dammit, leave him alone. "Yeah?"

 

Hesitating a moment, Michael met his eyes and...said everything. "Good luck."

 

"Thanks," Ted said quietly, smiling once more before leaving.

 

* * *

 

"You're late," Batman remarked, amused. Ted could feel the man's eyes on...his neck...where Michael had no doubt left numerous marks, and why hadn't he thought to check before leaving?

 

Because he might not have left, then.

 

Because subconsciously he liked the idea of dying covered in Michael's hickeys.

 

Because maybe he could think of them as a good luck charm rather than a goodbye.

 

Pointedly not looking up from a system diagnostic, Ted replied, "Booster wanted to wish me luck."


End file.
